Cessna TU206G accident near White Lake, New York, August 12, 1988
On August 12, 1988 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Cessna TU206G, registered N4613Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near White Lake, New York (White Lake airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 12, 1988 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- White Lake, New York · White Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna TU206G · all TU206Gs on the register
- Registration
- N4613Z · no longer on the register · serial TU20605984
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLOAT EQUIPPED AIRCRAFT MADE MULTIPLE TAKEOFF ATTEMPTS ON A LAKE, GETTING AIRBORNE AT LEAST ONCE PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. ON THE TAKEOFF RUN THAT TERMINATED IN THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT TURNED INTO AN INLET AFTER GETTING AIRBORNE WITH INSUFFICENT ROOM TO TURN THE AIRCRAFT AROUND. WITNESSES SAID THE ENGINE SOUNDED GOOD. THE AIRCRAFT STARTED A LEFT TURN AND THE NOSE WAS THEN OBSERVED TO FALL THROUGH THE HORIZON WITH THE AIRCRAFT MAKING CONTACT WITH THE WATER IN A NOSE LOW, LEFT WING LOW ATTITUDE. RESCUERS HAD REMOVED BOTH OCCUPANTS FROM THE SUBMERGED AIRCRAFT WITHIN 5-10 MINUTES AFTER THE ACCIDENT. BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE WEARING SEAT BELTS, HOWEVER, THE SHOULDER HARNESSES WERE NOT USED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BETWEEN 80-250 LBS OVER GROSS WT AT TAKEOFF.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 600 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,291 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 10, 1988; 83 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: BWI Baltimore MD
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from UCA, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.